


Have You Seen This Uncle?

by The_Binding



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Human!Bill, M/M, Mystery Twins, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-02
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-11 02:05:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5609728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Binding/pseuds/The_Binding
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Long after Ford kicks out Stan he vanishes.  Dipper and Mabel return to Gravity Falls to find their missing uncle and reopen in the shack.  Meeting a new familiar face in the midst of the chaos.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mystery Twins

 

“Wow, we have a lot of work to do.”Mabel breathed, looking over the dilapidated house.There was no sign on it anymore, instead more antennas than any one house needs.The screen door creaked in the wind and the windows looked covered in dirt from the inside.

 

“Yeah… how long do you think he’s been gone?”The place looked like it had been empty for years.The last he had heard from his great uncle had been nearly two months ago though- their relationship has been… strenuous after he kicked out Stan and closed up the shop.It took awhile for Dipper to REALLY talk to him again. 

 

“Thats what we’re here to find out.”She glanced at her brother, studying his face carefully.“You okay Dip?”

 

“No.Have you been able to get hold of Gruncle Stan?” 

 

“Not yet, that man is hard to find when he wants to be.”

 

He nodded, handing the keys off to her.“I doubt he had a key hidden anywhere we’ll find.I am gunna break in and go down to the lab.Want get some food?”

 

“Sure, and be careful.While I am in town I’ll ask around and see if I can narrow down when he was last seen.” 

 

Dipper waited for her to pull away before grabbing a rock to smash the old shop door window.They already had to do a bunch of work, they could fix a window too.Especially when Soos came tomorrow.Once he was in he flicked the light switch- well at least that still worked.He went for the secret door, hardly looking secret to him.Why on earth had Ford kept it hidden with a vending machine after closing the shop?!Did he want to be found out?

 

Dipper just hoped he hadn’t bothered to change the old code.

 

When Mabel made it home Dipper had his nose buried in a stack of books he had found on the lab desk.“Anything interesting?”

 

“All of it of course.”He cracked a smile.“Nothing is standing out to me as a reason for him to vanish though.And the portal is still in ruins so obviously thats not the cause.”

 

“It will take us awhile to go through the whole house and we had a long drive.Lets pause for the night and get some food in us and sleep.And I mean real sleep, not flashlight under the covers reading like when we were kids.”

 

Dipper snorted.“Yeah yeah alright, want me to help?”

 

“You can help by making up some beds.You’re a danger in the kitchen.”With a roll of his eyes Dipper headed for the stairs.

 

They were part way through dinner before Mabel finally had the courage to broach a tender subject.“Dip, is there any chance Ford wasn’t here last time you heard from him?”

 

“Slim… why?”

 

“There’s a reason this place looks like its been empty for so long.No one in town has seen Ford- well the most definitive date I could get was early September.”

 

“What?!”He started pacing, running a nervous hand through his hair.“But thats nearly,” he paused to count.

 

“Nine months.Unless he figured out how survive without food the last messages you’ve gotten weren’t from here.”

 

He sunk back into his seat, staring blankly at the floor.“Mabs… how on earth are we going to find him? I thought just two months would be… NINE?!”

 

She reached over to grab his hand.“We start by figuring out what he was working on that would make him leave.Your brain is just as big as his.Once you see what he was working on you’ll know where he had to go.”

 

“I am glad you have faith in me still.”

 

“Of course I do.You’re the smartest egg head there is!”She grinned at the snort it earned her. 

 

“Are you sure you want to stick around?If he’s in danger then…”

 

“Then I am not going to let you rush headlong into it on your own!Strength in numbers right?Thats one thing you and I got down pat.”

 

He gave her a small smile.“Mystery Twins?”He held out a fist.

 

With a grin she bumped it.

 

“Mystery Twins.”


	2. Rebuilding

The next morning they were awoken early by Soos letting himself in.“I brought coffee!”He called up to them.Dipper dragged himself out of bed, stumbling down the stairs follow the scent of coffee. 

 

Before he could take a sip he was captured in a big bear hug by Soos.“Morning Soos.Its great to see you.”He chuckled in his shoulder.

 

“I am so glad you two are back!I will help in every way I can to get you guys on your feet and find your uncle!” 

 

“Thanks Soos!”Dipper found himself set free at the sound of Mabel’s voice, she laughed as Soos hugged her. 

 

“Well Mabel whats our plan of attack then?”He gave her a faux-salute.

 

“If you two don’t mind,” Dipper put in, “I’d like to start looking at why Ford vanished.”

 

“Thats fine Dipper.”Gabs gave his shoulder a squeeze.“Just don’t stay in the musty basement too long.If you find something that might help at least come up here and work in sunlight.”

 

“And let us know anything important you find dude, don’t be all secretive and mysterious.”

 

Mabel nodded sagely at Soos’ words.“Don’t worry, I am not going to keep secrets from you two.We’re all in this together.”

 

The rest of the morning was talk about how to get the house cleaned up and the shop back up to snuff, and theories on what might have happened to Ford.Mabel tried to call Stan again, ending up leaving yet another voice mail.It was starting to get everyone concerned. 

 

To try and lighten the mood Soos announced that he had told Wendy they were coming and she got her brothers to help her rebuild the Mystery Shack sign for the roof.She would be bringing what was done later in the day. 

 

Then with breakfast eaten and job assigned everyone went to work.Dipper retiring down into the lab.It was as dimly lit as ever and had such a thick layer of dust Dipper wondered if Ford had ever actually finished cleaning it when he first came back or just worked around it. 

 

Every movement of anything on the desks set Dipper sneezing and he was seeing Mabel’s point of sitting upstairs to work through things.The first things he grabbed were the journals, setting them carefully by the door to go through later.He started grabbing books that were laying open and on top of piles with the least amount of dust.

 

One book with a tattered cover and falling apart spine scatted papers everywhere when he picked it up.“Damn.”He started gathering the lost pages, no, notes.Notes in cipher.What had been so important he not only ciphered it but hidden it among pages of a book in a secret lab?!He quickly gathered the rest of them, holding them tightly to his chest as he went for the stairs.

 

Mabel found him several hours later with his forehead pressed against the dining table, arms hanging loosely at his side and hands stained with ink.There was crumpled up paper around him feet.

 

“Not going well?”She glanced over his shoulder.

 

“He didn’t use the same cipher for every page- or section I guess.Some pages seem to have the same one but he didn’t number the pages and they scattered everywhere.I have no idea were they start or end!”He groaned.

 

“I think you need to take a break and get some fresh air.”She tugged his chair out from the table.“We’ll sit down together in the morning and look over it.”

 

Dipper started to protest but Mabel paid him no mind and tugged him out of the chair.“Come on, Soos is working on the exhibits so how about you fix the front stairs so no one breaks their neck.” 

 

He not only repaired the stairs but also fixed some squeaky boards, washed and washed the front windows.The edges of the sky were starting to darken and a chill was coming in the air when he heard the sound of a car making its why down their gravel road.

 

Wendy!He dropped his tools and wiped his hands on his dirty jeans, heading for the parking lot.

 

His eyes narrowed at the fancy car that pulled up.Did Mabel call Paz?A blond man in a smart suit and bowtie climbed out, glancing over the shack before his eyes fell on Dipper, he grinned a lopsided grin and strode over to him.

 

Well damn, Dipper could feel himself blush a little under that smile.“Hello there,” the man’s voice was higher, sharper than Dipper expected, “I am Mayor William, and you are?”He held out his dark hand.

 

Dipper quickly took it and gave a firm shake.“Dipper Pines.I did realize that there was a new Mayor.”

 

“Ah yes, about nine months ago.I am guessing you’re not entirely new in town, though I would think I would remember someone as handsome as you.”Dipper blushed a little darker and flashed a smile.

 

“Its been a few years since I’ve been in town.And how long have you lived here?I _defiantly_ would remember seeing such a charmer.”

 

The Mayor grinned again.“Charmer am I?”He chuckled.“I lived here a short time years ago, moved back just before election.”

 

“I see, and what is it that brings the Mayor out into the woods today?”

 

“Well I heard this old place suddenly had some residents.Its been abandoned since I got into town.Honestly there had been talk in city hall about knocking it down.”He looked balefully at the shack again as though it had personally offended him.“So I was curious on how you came to own it?”

 

“Its family land, our Great Uncle passed it down to us.”Mabel slid up to Dipper’s side with her arms crossed, producing the deed from an oversized sweater sleeve.

 

William’s eyes narrowed at the paper.“I see, well then Shooting Star,” he gave Dipper a smirk, “Pine Tree, I’ll just be leaving you two to your work.”

 

Mabel gapped after him as he climbed back into his car, grabbing onto Dipper’s arm for support.“Did he… could that be…”

 

“I feel di- I need a shower.”Mabel shot a concerned glance at her brother, which he caught.“I _flirted_ with him Mabel!”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Bet you all thought you'd seen the last of me.


End file.
